SACCHARUM OFFICINARUM. 



The juice is collected in the large pan where it is allowed to simmer slowly; scum rises 

 to the surface, the formation of which is sometimes assisted by the addition of alkali 

 (carbonate of soda) which promotes the coagulation of albuminous matter, or of milk, 

 or the sticky juice of the edible Hibiscus, which in becoming coagulated collect and 

 bring to the surface a good deal of impurity. From the large pan the juice is baled 

 into the one next it, and so on from pan to pan down the series, becoming more concen- 

 trated in each transfer until it is finally worked up into sugar in the last and hottest pan. 



The preparation of sugar from rdb is not properly speakiog an agricultural process, 

 and needs therefore no notice in this account. It may be briefly mentioned that the 

 process substantially consists in draining the uncrystallized molasses away from the sugar 

 crystals. This is effected in the Western Districts by pouring the rdb into cloth bags 

 and subjecting it to pressure, in which way about half of the molasses are strained off, 

 and then placing the semi-pure result (called putri in the "Western, and shaJcar or assdra in 

 the Eastern Districts) in wicker crates, and allowing the molasses to filter slowly down, 

 this filtration being assisted by a covering of the water weed known as skodr {Hydrilla 

 verticillatd), the moisture from which slowly filters downwards and washes the crystals 

 clean. The European process of " claying " was on exactly the same principle. The flow- 

 ry whitish sugar which results is known as kacha cliini or Mdnd, and is made over to 

 the hahodis for final refining. 



The following diagram shows the average outturn per cent, of cane of each of the 

 products mentioned above : — 



100 of cane. 



1 



50 of juice. 



18'0 of gi'irh, Iheli or 

 compost. 



17"5 of shakar. 



19-5 of rdb. 



13 2)^itri or 



assdra 

 (semi-drained). 



G'5 shira or molasses. 



€•5 chini, khdnd \ 



or shakar. 6-5 shira or molasses. 



Of the sugar exported from the Meerut Division, 98 per cent, is in the form of gurh 

 or shakar, but only 44 per cent, of that exported from Eohilkhand, the balance (56 per 

 cent.) consisting in cJiini or Jclidnd, the product of rdb. This difference illustrates some- 

 thing more important than a dissimilarity in local custom or even in quality of cane, for 

 it represents a material difference in the distribution of the profits of sugar cultivation 



